Commodity-cabinet



J. H. BOYE.

COMMODITY CABINET. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15 1919.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEE T I.

J. H. BOYE.

I COMMODITY CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, I919.

1,374,549. Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

:1! 47% I J5: l v 7 I? i. j 5 i i i tion.

UNITED; stares PATIENT? OFFICE.

JAMES H. BOYE, or oHroAeo, ILLINOIS, nssrenoaro JAMES HQ 'BoYE 111mm.

TURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

' GOMMOnI Y-CABIN T;

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns H. Born, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsfin Commodity-Cabinets, of which the following is a specifica- This inventionrelates to commodity cabinets for use by merchants and dealers 1n storing various small artlcles of merchan disc in a manner enabling them to be read ily accessible to and easily found by the merchant in making sales and to prevent confusion, mistakes, and loss. of time inthe finding of small articles. While the invention has been more particularly designed to facilitate the retail handllng of sewlng machine accessorles, such as needles, bobb ns,

shuttles and the like, yet it is readily adaptable without change of structural principle, to the handling of supplies, accessories and small parts of other machines, as well as independent small articles such as .plain sewing needles, crochet needles, and the like, and hence in its broader aspects is not limited to a commodity cabinet for sewing machine parts and accessories.

- The cabinet of the present -invention is in the natureof an improvement upon the cabinet forming the subject matter of Letters Patent No. 1,294,761, granted to me on the 18th day of February, 1919, and in the specification of said Letters Patent, to whichreference may be had, Ihave set forth fully the principal purpose and advantages and the manner of use of a cabinet of this type.

The principal object of the present inven-' tion is to improve the cabinet of my afore-l said patent in certain structural and functional features, such as ncreased commodity-carrylng capacity, greater ease of access to its holders .and compartments,

greater protection to the goods from dust and dirt, and improved supporting and locking holders. p 7

Still other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent to manufacturers and users of vending cabinets and others skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which 1 means for theswinging commodity.

Specification of LettersPatent, i Patent ed A 12 1921 Application filed. February 15, 1919. Serial No. 277,252.

have illustrated. one operative and practical embodiment ofthe invention, and wherein,"

Figure 1 is atop plan View of the cabinet; p

Fig. 2 is afront elevation, as viewedfrom the lowersideof Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is. a. bottom plan view;' Fig. 4 is a horizontal section" on the line 4L-4=of Fig.5; 1

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken offset line 5'5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. .6 is a sectional detail taken on the line 66'of Fig. 1.

Referring .to the drawings, 10 designates the top wall and 11 the side wall of a subon the stantially circular sheet metal casing, the,

equipped with stiffening border frames 14.

Secured to the upper side ofthe top ;wall

10 and extending diametrically'from front to rear thereof is a stiflening plate or strip' 15 formed with a widened substantially circular central portion 15:, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.. At a point diametricallyoppm site the front opening 13 the top wall-1O and stiffening strip 15 are formed with reg,-

istering rectangular openings that are pref erably covered by a glass window 16, the frame 17 of which is detachably secured Strongly secured to and centrally ofth under side of thetop wall 10 of the casing is'a'circular plate 19 (Fig. v5) which serves as .an auxiliary stiffener-to the top wall 10.

and also as a base plate for a, depending spindle or post 20 integral therewith :or rigidly secured thereto. Mounted-to turn on;

this spindle 201 is a skeleton hub 21jhaving spaced upper andilowerbearings 21 and 21 and secured to this hub by rivets 22 is a rotary carrier-disk 23-which has. a diameter approximately equal to .theinternal,

diameter of the cabinet casing. On the to. the stiffening strip 15 by screws-18.

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lower end of thespindle 20 is a disk 24 forming a rest orsupport forthe hub 21 and itself held in place by a nut 25 and.

lock nut' 26 and from the disk 24: extend four brace-rods 27 to the lower endsvof the disk 23 are a group, herein shown as eight,

of radially disposed drawer-housings 29, in each of which is slidably mounted a drawer 30. In the present instance each drawer is divided by a longitudinal partition 31 into a compartment 32 designed to hold small machineparts such as bobbins, shuttles, and the like, and arelatively long narrow and deep compartment .33 designed to contain crochet needles and analogous articles. To facilitatewithdrawal of the latter, the bottom wall and outer side wall of this compartment are formed with registering transverse slots 34 and-35 which accommodate the thumb and finger in removing the articles. The drawer is yieldably locked in place by a spring detent consisting, as herein shown,

of an elastic strip 36 secured at its endsto the outer side wall of the housing 29 and formed with a central protuberance 37 that enters a. pair of registering holes 38 and 39 formed in said side wall and the adjacent wall of the drawer, all as clearly shown'in Fig. 4. The outer ends of the side walls of the drawer-housings are notched as shown at 40 (Fig. 5) to facilitate the grasping of the forward end of the drawer'in withdrawing the latter. v

41 designates each of four generally sector-shaped plates, each of which is formed with a plurality of round apertures 42 adapted to receive and support the sh0uldered tube-like boxes or bottles 43 in which sewing machine needles are customarily shown there is secured to the upper side of each holder-plate a bail-shaped strip 46, the forward upwardly bent end of which is connected by a pivot pin 47 to the carrier 23, while the rearward upwardly bent end has a horizontal terminal portion 48 that overlies and rests upon a supporting lip or flange 49 secured to the under side of the carrier-disk this lip or flange 49 having an arcuate form and being concentric with the pivot 47 By this means the holderplate 41 is strongly supported from the carrier-disk 23 at both its front and rear. 7 The flanges 49 also serve to stiffen the carrierdisk. It will be noted that each complete holder 41' is symmetrically constructed with reference'to its median radial line or axis, so that eachis in effect a double receptacle or holder, the portion thereof lying on each side of the median radial line being designed to hold the goods of a single manufacturer.

By rotating the carrier-disk 23 through the means hereinafter"described, anyone of the drawers, andthe directly underlying 'In order to avoid accidental swinging half of-theperforated plate may be brought movement of the pivoted holders, which might interfere with the turning of the carrier, I provide manually releasable spring-latches 50 (Fig. 3) on the opposite side edges of each holder-'plate, the latches depending stops 51 secured to the carrierdisk 23. Each latch bar 50 has a radially off-set lug 50 by which it may be retracted from the stop 51 by the thumb and finger of the operator. v

To the vertical edges of the stiffening strips 14 at the'vertical sides of the opening 13 are pivoted a pair of outwardly swinging doors 52, by which the opening is normally closed to exclude dust and dirt from the interior of the cabinet. The doors are yieldably held in closed position by a catch member 53 secured to the forward end of the stiffening'plate 15and formed with a pair of over-hanging spring detents 53 adapted to independentlyengage with dents or depres'sions 54 in the upper edges of the doors 52. By this device both of the doors will be held closed even though their upper edges should not be alinement.

Referring next to the means for'actuat ing the carrier-disk 23 so as to bring any pair of the eight pairs of commodity holders opposite the casing opening, this mecha nism issubstantially identical Withthe corresponding mechanism disclosed in my former patent, above referred to, and, briefly described, comprises the following parts. 7 55 of adjacent holder-plates cooperating with in perfect horizontal Y designates a pinion that is loose on the spin:

dle 20 and is secured to the upper hub bearing member 21 of the carrier. With this pinion meshes a gear 56 that is fast on'the lower end of a short shaft 57 thatisjoun naled in the top wall 10' and its stiffening plate 15. Fast on the shaft 57 ,just "above the plate 15, is a radial actuating arm 58' on the free end of which is an upstanding finger-hold59. On'the free end'of the arm 58 ;is also formed a -jforwardly directed pointer-finger 60, and in rearof the latter is an upwardly off-set rearwardl'y directed pointer finger 61; Secured tothe'stiffening plate is a segment plate. 62 that overlies all except the free end and pointers of the arm 58. This segment. plate is formed with shoulders or stops 63' that limit the swings ing movements of the arm 58, and,.between said stops, with a series'of equally spaced notches 64 in its raised edge. These notches are engaged by a spring-pressed manually retractable locking dog or pawl 65 mounted on the finger-hold 59. The lockingnotch'es 64 correspond in number with the radial 1 groups of commodity compartments of the carrier (eight being herein shown).

On the top of the several drawer-housings, are charts containing the names of eight leading sewing machine factories 7? which make not only the machines going under the names of these factories but also practically all of the many s'o-ca'lled stenciled machines which go under the trade names of different dealers, and on these charts also appear alphabetical symbols "A to H inclusive, which are identified with the respective factory names. Preferably also each chart discloses catalogue prints-or cuts of the principal small machine parts or accessories, such as shuttles, bobbins, and the like, made by the respective factories; and these charts are so arranged that in any and all positions of the rotary carrier the chart which shows through the window. 16

" relates to and identifies the goods contained in the commodity holders which are'opposite the opening 13 and in accessible position. On the stiffening plate 15' is a correspond ing index consisting of the letters A to H inclusive grouped in arcuate form opposite the window 16, and the pair of commodity the locking notches 64. When the actuating arm is swung to carry the pointer 60 opposite any letter of this index, the correspondingly identified chart is brought beneath holders containing goods identified by said chart are brought opposite the opening 13 and may be withdrawn through the latter, when the doors 52 are opened, to afford easy access to the goods which they contain. At

the same time these compartments are held in delivery position at the opening 18 by the dog 65 which locks the rotary carrier against turning.

On the free edge of the segment plate 62 are two indexes, one of different sizes of hand needles which may be contained in the drawer compartments 32, and the other of different sizes of crochet needles which are designed to. be contained in the drawerv compartments 33. The pointer 61 coiiperates with these indexes in the same way that the pointer 60 coiiperateswith the alphabetical index A to H inclusive.

As hereinabove mentioned, there are in the sewing machine industry a limited number of makers of different machines (eight being assumed in the present case) and there; aremanylhundred's of machinesgoing under as many-different trade names or retail dealers, and albmanufactured by this Iimited-number -of' makers! Hence, a cus tomer'may go, toher dealerto buy a'needle,

atla loss to supply her with a part that fit. To provide for this contingency there is provided on the top'of the cabinet casing an extensive alphabetical name indexof all the principal and most extensively used machines sold. under various names, this index belng arranged. in curved concentrlcally grouped columns '66, asshown 1n Fig. 1.

On one side of each column 66 is a parallel column 67 containing the same commodityn;

holder-identifyingsymbols (letters A-to H lnclusive) thatare employed in the central;

index, thesesymbols appearing directly opposite the names in columns 66. .By'the use,

of this index th factory sourcexof any given machine is .readily ascertained, and the correct suppliesv forv themachineobtained, as more fully explained'in detail in my LettersPatent hereinabove identified. I

have, however, 'in-thepresent device provided' an improvement in this feature, as follows. Since the list of names of the different machines is changing every little while, some names becoming obsolete and new names appearing, it is necessary occasionallyto revise the alphabetical indexes of names and the1r source identifying sym= bols appearing in the columns 66 and- 67. I therefore printtheseindexes, not on the top wall of the cabinet casing, but on a re-' movable disk or plate which may readily be replaced by a new one. This is most con veniently effected, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6,

by printing these indexes on a pair of ap-f proximately semi-circular disks or plates 68,

the inner edges of which may underlie the side edges of the stiffeningplate 15, while their outer edges" are securely fastened to the topof the casing by curved clamp-strips 69 and screws 70. By simply removing these clamp strips, the index cards or plates may be withdrawn and replaced by new ones brought up to date.

I have also herein illustrated two further bobbin, shuttle or other accessory, for'her 'machine, and he, not knowing thefactory source ofthat particular machine, may be of a'sewing machine needle laid "therein. Ifa customer, ignorant ofthe manufacturing source of her machine, can produce a sample needle, this latter is laid on-' the'arm 72 with its shank end abutting against the inner end of the channel, and the arm 58- is swunguntil the over-hanging .pointor eye portion of a needle exactly registers with and matches one; of the chart prints 71. This brings to the opening 13 a commodity holder containing needles identical withthe sample.- 1 r Again, it sometimes happens th'at"the owner of a machine not listed on the name index has no sample needle, or desires to order some .machine part not" carried in. stock by the cabinet. To take care of this situation I have provided an additional means for identifying the factory source'of .any machine, based on the fact that prac tically. all of the different makes of sewing machines have detachable'pressenfeet with bifurcated or forked 'shanks,xall ofiwhich latterdiffer in specific size and shape. vIn

the top surface of the stiffening plate 15' there are formed a seriesof diefimpressions' 73 of-the forked shanks 'of all the different makes of presser-feet,-these impressions being grouped inflarcuate form outside of and opposite the alphabetical index A toll inclusive, in the manner clearly' shown in Fig. 1. -The customer brings to the store the resser-foot of her machine. The dealer applies it to the various dies; and the alphabetical index letter pertaining to thedie which the presser-foot fits identifies the source of manufacture 'inthe mannerfal ready described, and thus enables the desired article to be obtained fromthe cabinet or from the factory. I .As I have already stated, in its general organization and arrangement, and in the functions performed and advantagessecuredthe commoditycabinetofmy present inven-- tion is largely based upon and follows the commodity cabinet disclosed in andcovered by my aforesaid Letters Patent No. 1,294,761; but in several details of structure and organization myipresent cabinet embodies sub stantial improvements upon the cabinet of the: aforesaid J patent, through which the stated objects of the invention are secured,

and which improvements are set forthin I the under side of said carrier at a point midway between. two adjacent drawers, whereby any one of said drawers and the underlying holder, may be: withdrawn through said opening when brought opposite the latter. I Y It 2. In a commodity cabinet, the combinar tionof a casing havinga sidewall formed with an opening, a carrier disk rotatably mounted insaid casing, a group of radially sliding drawers mountedon theupper side of said disk, and a, group of generallyfsector-shaped commodity holders pivoted centrally of their outer edges to the under side of said carrier disk midway between two adjacent drawers on the latter.

3. In acommodity cabinet, the'combination of a casing having an openingin its side wall, a carrier rOtatably m unted' in and centrally-of said casing and ofapproxr mately the internal diameter of the latter, a plurality of generally sector-shaped com-' modity-holders pivotally suspended cen-' trally of their'outer edges from and around the periphery of said carrier, a series of arcuate lips or'fianges on said carrier each concentric with the pivot of one of said commodity-holders, and suspensiongmembers each secured to one of SaIdCOmIIIOClIty holders and at its upper end resting upon andslidably engaged withone of said lips or flanges.

JAMES BOYE. 

